What garments are recommended for a woman to wear during prayer?

Chapter on the Description of Prayer

Al-Mughni

Book of Prayer

Book 3 · Issue 1 · Bab 5

Open in Qurani

Primary text

It is recommended that a woman pray while wearing a dir' (a garment like a tunic that extends to cover her feet), a khimar (which covers her head and neck), and a jilbab (a cloak wrapped over the dir'). This practice is reported from Umar, his son, Aisha, Ubaydah al-Sulmani, and 'Ata. It is the position of Al-Shafi'i. Ahmad states that the consensus among them includes the dir' and the khimar, and whatever adds to this is better and more concealing. This recommendation is supported by the principle that if a woman wears a jilbab, she should pull it away from her body during bowing (ruku') and prostration (sujud) to prevent her clothes from describing her form, thus obscuring her buttocks and other major areas of 'awrah (parts to be concealed).